The government of Western Australia (WA) has expanded its live events support programme to include rescheduled shows.

The Getting the Show Back on the Road+ (GTSBOTR+) programme was originally set up to reduce the financial risks of running a ticketed event during the pandemic.

The expansion of the programme will allow promoters to recoup the unrecoverable costs of up to 30% of pre-approved box office value – which is capped at A$150,000 – when events are rescheduled.

This will enable live events that are not viable under current Level 2 public health measures to be moved to more suitable dates later in the year.

The changes follow discussions between the state government and the live events industry on how the programme could be adjusted to better support the sector.

Culture and the arts minister, David Templeman, says: “Live event organisers now have more certainty around putting on shows in Western Australia during this difficult time, knowing they are supported with the unrecoverable costs of rescheduling.

“THESE CHANGES WILL MEAN A NUMBER OF TERRIFIC UPCOMING SHOWS CAN NOW BE RESCHEDULED RATHER THAN CANCELLED”

“We have listened to feedback from the live events industry and expanded the programme accordingly.

“I am very pleased these changes will mean a number of terrific upcoming shows can now be rescheduled rather than cancelled. It is a great result for our local live events industry and all WA music fans.”

The announcement has been welcomed by Live Entertainment Western Australia, which can now confirm rescheduled shows for Midnight Oil, Crowded House, Hoodoo Gurus, Hunters and Collectors with James Reyne, Jimmy Barnes, Mondo Rock, Ian Moss, and Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo, and the Waifs.

Live Entertainment WA president, Brad Mellen, comments: “The rescheduled shows would have been cancelled without the assistance now being offered to enable rescheduling.

“The system’s not perfect – there’s still the problem of shortfalls in sales when sold-out shows are rescheduled – but it reflects great credit on the government that it listened to representations and has acted to provide assistance for rescheduling.

“Hopefully, things will get back to something like normal in the next few months and Western Australia will again see international acts absent now for more than two years.”

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